Expectations that Apple is building a car are developing a similar sense of momentum to those expectations we saw before Apple announced the iPod, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, with a UK report claiming the company now seeks a testing facility for its autonomous vehicle.

The newspaper managed to access correspondence relating to the meeting with a Freedom of Information request, which cites an Apple engineer who claims: “We would ... like to get an understanding of timing and availability for the space, and how we would need to coordinate around other parties who would be using [it].”

The venue simulates an urban environment, including railroad crossings, parking lots, curved roads, tunnels and city streets (there’s a good collection of images here).

Randy Iwasaki, CCTA executive director and owner of GoMentum Station, said that due to a non-disclosure agreement with Apple he could not reveal anything more than that Apple had expressed an interest.

A Wall Street Journal report claimed Steve Zadesky, a former Ford engineer, has been charged with assembling and leading a 1,000-strong project team. The team so far also includes a former head of Mercedes-Benz's Silicon Valley R&D lab and autonomous vehicle researcher, Paul Furgale. Recruits also come from Tesla and battery innovator, A123 as well as across Apple and other car firms.

"The rumors about the Apple Car is a sign that the auto industry is in a process of upheaval. The car will become part of the Internet of things and we want to be part of that.”

On the map

We already know to expect the first “self-driving in traffic jams” cars on roads next year, with truly autonomous vehicles before the end of the decade. By 2024, Analysys Mason expects 89% of new cars will include embedded connectivity.

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